We love Padma Lakshmi, and we will miss seeing her as host of Top Chef. We decided to try her dal recipe: https://www.padmalakshmi.com/dal-recipe It was delicious and comforting. In her video demonstration of this recipe on Instagram, she mentioned adding amchoor (green mango) powder for tartness at the end. We substituted with about 1 tsp… Continue reading Padma Lakshmi’s Indian red lentil stew (dal tadka)
Tag: 2023
Korean radish soup
We made this simple recipe: https://www.koreanbapsang.com/korean-radish-soup-mu-gukmoo-guk/ For our ingredients, we used 8 oz beef flank, which we thinly sliced and cut into bite-sized pieces. For the radish, we used daikon. At the end of cooking, we found the soup underseasoned (based on 2 Tbsp soup soy sauce and 2 tsp minced garlic), so we supplemented… Continue reading Korean radish soup
Vietnamese chicken and ginger in bittersweet caramel sauce
We had boneless chicken thighs on hand and tried out Andrea Nguyen's 30 min, one pot recipe: https://www.latimes.com/recipe/chicken-and-ginger-in-caramel-sauce-ga-kho In case the link leads to a paywall, the ingredients are: 1:5 lb boneless chicken thighs (trimmed of fat and cut into 1" chunks), 3 Tbsp bittersweet caramel sauce, 2 Tbsp fish sauce, 2 Tbsp water, a… Continue reading Vietnamese chicken and ginger in bittersweet caramel sauce
Vietnamese caramelized salmon filet, version 2
It’s been a while since we made this dish: https://www.splendidtable.org/recipes/caramelized-catfish-sand-pot Our modifications: first, we used 1.25 lb salmon filet, skin removed and sliced into 2×1″ pieces. Second, instead of a clay pot, we used a large All-clad nonstick Dutch oven (which enabled us to spread the salmon in a single layer). Third, we sauteed 1″…… Continue reading Vietnamese caramelized salmon filet, version 2
Vietnamese bittersweet caramel sauce, version 2
We have made Andrea Nguyen's iconic bittersweet caramel sauce since the publication of her first cookbook, Into the Vietnamese Kitchen. We always store our homemade sauce in a beloved plum jelly jar. This time, we tried her latest version, which she recorded in a video: https://www.vietworldkitchen.com/blog/2020/04/vietnamese-caramel-sauce-recipe-video.html The method is similar. This version includes a touch… Continue reading Vietnamese bittersweet caramel sauce, version 2
Chinese sesame noodles
We were hungry and didn’t want a fussy meal, so we tried this recipe based on Shanghai sesame noodles: https://thewoksoflife.com/sesame-noodles/ Our modifications: first, we doubled the recipe as follows: 8 oz wheat noodles (we used dried Wang udon kuk-soo noodles, which are thinner than other brands of udon); for the sauce: 1 Tbsp sesame paste…… Continue reading Chinese sesame noodles
Scrambled egg and roasted vegetable burrito
This was an ad hoc recipe that we tossed together based on our pantry: 1. Preheat oven to 425. Line two quarter sheetpans with foil, then spray foil surface lightly with neutral veg oil (e.g., canola). On the side, prepare the spice blend in a small prep bowl: 3/4 tsp smoked paprika, 1/8 (or less)…… Continue reading Scrambled egg and roasted vegetable burrito
Japanese kombu salad
We had simmered an 8" piece of kombu for soup base, so we repurposed the kombu for this simple salad: https://thejapanstore.us/kombu/kombu-salad-recipe/ We modified slightly to reduce the toasted sesame seeds to 1 tsp and also added 1 tsp Korean red pepper flakes. (Apr. 2023)
Egyptian fava beans (ful mudammes), version 2
We made this recipe again, but followed the instructions pretty closely this time: https://www.themediterraneandish.com/foul-mudammas-recipe/#tasty-recipes-33099-jump-target Our minor modifications: First, we halved the recipe. Second, we drained the canned fava bean liquid before placing in our Ultimate Pan and adding 1/4 cup water. The fresh garlic / hot pepper / lemon juice dressing added a brightness to… Continue reading Egyptian fava beans (ful mudammes), version 2
Quick pantry quesadilla
Feeling peckish, we pulled this together based on simple pantry ingredients. The recipe: https://www.papernstitchblog.com/black-bean-quesadillas/ For the onion, we used 1/2 small shallot. To minimize its sharpness, we sautéed the minced shallot in a separate pan (with a little cooking spray) before adding it as a quesadilla filling. We also used thick-cut shredded Cheddar cheese, but…… Continue reading Quick pantry quesadilla
Cooking Adventures 